Iowa Lakes expands offerings

December 13, 2012

Work should no longer be an excuse for anyone who people in the Estherville area who want to take classes in order to better themselves.

Iowa Lakes Community College offers classes in a variety of times and delivery methods to make education as convenient as walking into your study and turning on the computer.

Mark Gruwell, executive dean of instruction, said Thursday that the college's new teleconference system has allowed the college to expand evening course offerings to all campuses. As a result, students can obtain an arts and science degree by taking one to two evening classes along with an online component to get an associate degree in two years. Those working a full-time job in the day can still get their degree at night at the same pace as a full-time day student.

Article Photos

Mark Gruwell, Iowa Lakes Community College executive dean of instruction, says the college is reaching out to prospective students through a growing variety of course delivery systems.EDN photo by Michael Tidemann

The college's Winterim session, which goes from late December to late January, targets regents students who might want to take classes over winter break. Gruwell said classes are filling up, so anyone who wants to take advantage of a class over the holiday break should do so now.

Online classes are offered in both 16-week and eight-week formats.

Students can either take classes that last through the entire semester or take classes in an eight-week session starting in January, then start another eight-week session in March.

Online courses through the Iowa Community College Online Consortium - a group of seven Iowa community colleges - gives students course offerings from community colleges throughout the state.

There's still time to register for classes over the holiday break as well as spring semester.

Call the Estherville campus at 362-2604 or toll free at 1-800-242-5106 to register.